SOCCER: NOTEBOOK

SOCCER: NOTEBOOK; Hiccup for United States On Road to World Cup

By JACK BELL

Published: July 1, 2003

There is no reaction like an overreaction, or at least that is how it seems after the United States left the Confederations Cup in France without a victory and with a single point after three games. Before the eight-team tournament, United States Coach BRUCE ARENA said some of his players needed ''bloodying,'' in the sense of gaining experience in the cauldron of international soccer.

''Our plan was to use these three games as a method of evaluating players and giving them experience,'' Arena said on U.S. Soccer's Web site. ''I think we got exactly that. I'm not disappointed with the experience we had in France.''

Arena told The Associated Press: ''The natural reaction is the press will say how bad everything is and the fans will say how bad everything is. That's fine.''

Qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany will begin early next year. The Gold Cup is next month. Arena, who looked at more than 70 players before the 2002 World Cup, has more options and more depth than any previous United States coach. Now is the time to take advantage.

''You can't expect good results all the time,'' defender GREGG BERHALTER said in an interview. ''It all goes in cycles. Look, Brazil barely qualified for the last World Cup and ended up winning it. Bruce believes in his players and he gives the young guys a chance. If they failed, it is not the end for them. Every team goes through periods where it doesn't achieve. We can just set it right in the Gold Cup.''

The United States played without CLAUDIO REYNA, JOHN O'BRIEN, EDDIE POPE, BRAD FRIEDEL and KASEY KELLER, all members of last year's World Cup team. Younger players like CORY GIBBS, DAN CALIFF and BOBBY CONVEY were bloodied, but players like CARLOS BOCANEGRA and KYLE MARTINO showed a lot of skill, composure and promise. Yesterday, Arena added Reyna, Keller, BRIAN McBRIDE, C.J. BROWN, RICHARD MULROONEY, NICK GARCIA, STEVE RALSTON and JOSH WOLFF to his 25-man Gold Cup roster.

M.L.S.

The MetroStars will travel to Berkley, Mich., to play the Mid-Michigan Bucks of the Premier Development League, an amateur team, in the third round of the Lamar Hunt United States Open Cup on July 16. The Bucks are a collection of college players that includes midfielder KNOX CAMERON, who is from the Bronx and plays at the University of Michigan. The Open Cup was first played in 1914 and is open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the country. The winner of the Metro- Stars-Bucks game will play the defending champion Columbus Crew on Aug. 6. Major League Soccer teams have won six of the last seven titles.

ANTE RAZOV's game-winner against the MetroStars on Saturday was only the second time a golden goal had been scored in 21 overtime games this season. ... Colorado is 0-6 on the road this season after blowing a 2-1 lead in the last 10 minutes and losing to the New England Revolution, 3-2. TAYLOR TWELLMAN, a late substitute who has been struggling with a sinus infection, scored the equalizing goal when he neatly brought down a long cross with his left thigh and beat Rapids keeper SCOTT GARLICK from 5 yards out. ... Kansas City's NICK GARCIA was slapped with two yellow cards in only three minutes and was ejected against Los Angeles. ... The Galaxy, which has not lost at home in four matches (3-0-1) at the new Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., plays five straight games and 11 of 13 at home. ... According to two reports in the British news media, Everton boss DAVID MOYES is pursuing Chicago's DaMARCUS BEASLEY.

SOUTH AMERICA

Campinas was the site of a revolution of sorts in Brazilian soccer. For the first time, four women comprised the officiating crew for a first-division match -- when Sao Paulo won its third straight game, a 1-0 victory over Guarani.

Referee SILVIA REGINA OLIVEIRA was joined on the field by the assistants ALINE LAMBERT and ANA PAULA OLIVEIRA in a match that included eight yellow cards and two disallowed goals against the home team. A fourth female official handled substitutions.

''It was a good performance,'' the former referee CLAUDIO CERDEIRA told Reuters. ''All three are very competent. The problem is that there's a lot of sexism in football.''

Lambert was surrounded on the touchline by outraged Guarani players (and a passel of television cameras) late in the game when she correctly flagged offside on what would have been the equalizing goal.

In Argentina, River Plate clinched its 31st and second straight Clausura title with a victory over Olimpio coupled with Velez Sarsfield's loss to Estudiantes. ... Boca Juniors takes a 2-0 advantage into the second leg of the Libertadores Cup finals against Santos tomorrow in Brazil.

W-LEAGUE

Many European soccer players like to vacation in the United States, reveling in their anonymity here. So imagine the surprise last week in Asheville, N.C., when the Manchester United striker RUUD VAN NISTELROOY strolled into the SunCom Indoor Soccer Center for some training with his traveling buddy, ARNOLD BRUGGINK of PSV Eindhoven.

''They walked in like any other soccer-playing fans and rattled a ball off the ceiling before I even knew they were here,'' BOB SOMERVILLE said on the team's Web site. He runs the center and is the media relations director for the Asheville Splash, a minor league women's team. ''I ignored them until the resemblance started to grow on us.''

The team quickly moved its training session indoors and Van Nistelrooy, who scored 44 goals last season for the Red Devils, participated in a 20-minute scrimmage.

''I was surprised to see so much skill,'' Van Nistelrooy said. ''I never expected anyone to recognize me in Asheville. We are on holiday, just staying the night here and came upon this place.''

CORNER KICKS

In the Women's United Soccer Association, the Power's TIFFENY MILBRETT scored her first goal at home in 13 games, a streak that dates to 2001. She is the first W.U.S.A. player to score 30 career goals in the league. I am not going to lie and say that it has not been on my mind, Milbrett said on the team's Web site, referring to not scoring at home. It's been ridiculous, the weight on my shoulders. I've been carrying that around for almost two years. ... MARINETTE PICHON, Philadelphia's French striker, who was the league's most valuable player last year, leads the league in scoring with 10 goals and 2 assists after she scored both Charge goals in a 2-2 tie with Boston. ... Carolina striker DANIELLE FOTOPOULOS is out for the season after tearing a knee ligament last week.

After Oceania lost its guaranteed berth in the World Cup in a vote by FIFA last weekend, FRANK FARINA, the coach of Australia's national team, said that the confederation should be disbanded and that Australia should join the Asian confederation. ''What's the point of having an Oceania confederation?'' Farina told Agence France-Presse. ''They've got no respect for the region.'' JACK BELL